"What if you can't? What if you end up in the water and need to swim? I want you to be confident enough to do it."
"I am confident. I could do it if I had to."
"Show me."
He frowns.
"First float on your back."
He crosses his arms.
"Please. It'll heal a lot of old wounds in me."
That gets him. He looks to the ceiling as he slowly lies back and extends his arms.
"Good. Lift your feet. Back straight." He lifts his knees and straightens his legs. "You're doing it. Move around."
He paddles his arms and turns in the water.
"See? Easy."
He stands back up and smiles at me. "I can do it. I just need the right motivation." He leans down to brush his lips against mine. My cheeks heat and I have to look away from his intense gaze.
"Now follow me." I take off and swim to the deep end. When I get to the edge, he's shaking his head no. "This pool is only six-feet deep. You can reach the bottom."
He crosses his arms and smiles. He wants to do it. I can see it in his eyes. It's time for some drastic measures. I know one thing that is sure to break his self-control.
"I'll take my top off," I say with flirtation in my voice.
That gets his attention. He raises his eyebrows and nods. He's daring me to do it. My heart pounds in my chest. I've never casually taken my top off in front of a man and I've never skinny dipped before. But Foster is special and tonight is unique. I'm going for it.
I unsnap my top in the back and slip it off over my head. I drop deeper into the water to give me some coverage, but he got a good eyeful of my naked breasts.
His eyes bulge out and he licks his lower lip. He shakes his head and laughs like he can't believe I did it. He dives forward, no fear at all. I guess I found the right motivation. He's awkward in the water. Windmilling his arms too fast and too hard. His legs are hanging low and he keeps his head dry, but he's doing it.
I'm laughing like crazy by the time he makes it to me. He grabs the coping behind my head and starts kissing me. I kiss him back and smile. I love this. I love that he conquered his fear for me. And I love kissing him. He's a master at it and knows exactly the right pressure and speed to make my spine tingle.
He presses his hips and chest against my body, using his hands and legs to push up in the water. Up down. Up down.
Each time he scissors his legs, his hips roll against my pelvis and steal my breath. His hard cock rubs my clit and the wet fabric between us hardly provides any barrier. The water splashes over my breasts with his thrusts. His tongue dives deeper and he growls with the force of it. God, he's so hot. Nothing phases him. Even facing his deepest fear, he can still reduce me to mush as he kisses me and grinds his body on mine in a perfect wave. Holy cow.
He was holding out on me all week. Now I'm really angry he held back. We could have had more of this.
I wrap my legs around his hips and he moves down to kiss my breasts. His face gets close to the water and for a second I wonder if he'll stop before putting his face in. But no, Foster is fearless, and submerges his head to reach my nipple and take it between his teeth. He flicks it with his tongue and I moan. He resurfaces and looks in my eyes. I didn't see it before, but the light green of his eyes is ringed by a darker forest green and it plays with the blue of the water in a magical way.
"Let's go up to your room." His chest heaves and his voice scratches.
"Foster…"
"No more holding back. We're here and this is it. We may never get another chance."
So he's thinking about the end of summer too. Once I'm in Manhattan, I won't be able to see him anymore. My dad keeps closer tabs on me there. We both know it but haven't talked about it. It's too sad to say out loud.
He lifts me out of the water and plops my butt down on the pool coping. I fumble to catch my balance as he pulls himself out of the water. It drips off him like an ice cream cone in an oven. I'd love to lick every last drop.
"Okay." I grab a towel off the lounge chair and hold it over my breasts. If my dad finds out about this foolish move, he'll make us both miserable forever, but Foster and I have a special connection. If the world melted away, and it was only us left in it, I wouldn't hesitate to take him to my room and do it. It would be the best day of my life.
So for now, I'm going to pretend the real world doesn't exist, tomorrow isn't coming, and Foster is the center of my only universe.
His wet hand slips into mine and it feels important. It's meaningful. We are joined together heading to our destiny. We're saying screw everyone else, this is who we are and who we are meant to be. This is us.
As we exit the solarium and head to the stairs, footsteps and the sound of male laughter break my concentration. Someone is in the house.
Foster glances over and pulls me quickly to the stairs. We're on the third step when I hear the voice.
"Yo, Milana. What the hell?" It's Donnie.
Foster stops and steps down until he's in front of me, blocking my naked upper half. I still have the towel clutched tightly.
Oh no. It's not just Donnie. Renzo Cataneo's shocked eyes are taking in the scene too.
Foster's shoulders raise and his hand squeezes mine. He's ready to fight, but I don't want that. I don't want Donnie and Foster to fight, and I don't even want Renzo to know who Foster is.
"Who's that?" Renzo asks.
"His name's Foster. The one she spent the night in the cellar with," Donnie says. "Were you guys fucking in the pool?" He sneers at us with his mocking tone. "Am I gonna see jizz seahorses in there?"
"Eww, gross, Donnie. No." With Foster in front of me, I'm able to work my towel around and tuck it under my armpits. "Can you guys just leave us alone? It's really none of your business." I place my palm flat on the sea serpent on Foster's back to let him know I'm here for him. Hopefully that will diffuse the situation.
"I'd say it's my business if you're getting busy in a pool with some random dude," Renzo says.
"It's really not."
"If I'm marrying you, it is."
Oh lord. Please don't start with that crap right now. My father's stupid theory that I will marry the son of his dead best friend drives me crazy. Renzo is twelve years older than me, and I have no interest or attraction to him at all.
Foster's back goes stiff and his arms flare out. He glances over his shoulder at me and I give him a smirk to let him know it's bullshit.
"I am never marrying you and please don't say stupid stuff like that."
Renzo isn't looking at me. He's scrutinizing Foster. "He looks familiar." Renzo scratches his chin and slants his head to the side.
"You guys, please. Just leave. And don't tell Dad, okay?" I grab Foster's shoulder and try to pull him up the stairs, but he's rigid as a rock as he faces off with Donnie. He's challenging him with his eyes, and Donnie keeps looking away. He's seen Foster in the ring and knows the damage he would do to Donnie's face.
"Don't you know about him?" Donnie asks me.
A low growl rolls from deep in Foster's throat and vibrates through my fingers. He's like a motorcycle revving and ready to take off.